Who We Are

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. (Acts 9:15) 
 
The Lord sees more than our past. In Acts 9, He directed Ananias to heal Saul, a known persecutor of the church whom God had blinded. Ananias was incredulous at receiving this mission, stating that Saul had been rounding up believers in Jesus for persecution and even execution. God told Ananias not to focus on who Saul had been but on who he had become: an evangelist who would bring the good news to all the known world, including to the gentiles (those who weren’t Jews) and to kings (v. 15). Ananias saw Saul the Pharisee and persecutor, but God saw Paul the apostle and evangelist. 
 
We can sometimes view ourselves only as we have been—with all of our failures and shortcomings. But God sees us as new creations, not who we were but who we are in Jesus and who we’re becoming through the power of the Holy Spirit. O God, teach us to view ourselves and others in this way! 
 
How can you begin to better view yourself and others in light of who you are in Christ today? How does it encourage you to know God isn’t through growing and refining you? 
 
Heavenly Father, help me to find my full identity in You. Allow me to humbly see others through Your eyes of grace! Amen. 
 
What a powerful devotion. How it blessed me. My prayer today is that the next time the enemy tries discouraging you by bringing up your past that you remind him of today’s devotion. God sees you as a new creation, not who you were but who you are in Jesus and who your becoming through the power of the Holy Spirit. Praise The Lord!  
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord! 
 
Today’s Reading is Matthew 6:14